BRITAIN UNDER LOCKDOWN FROM RENEW NORMAL: THE PEOPLE’S COMMISSION ON LIFE AFTER COVID-19 AUGUST 2020 Open Access. Some rights reserved. As the publisher of this work, Demos wants to encourage the circulation of our work as widely as CONTENTS possible while retaining the copyright. We therefore have an open access policy which enables anyone to access our content online without charge. Anyone can download, save, perform or distribute this work in any format, including translation, without written permission. This is subject to the terms of the Demos licence found at the back of this publication. Its main conditions are: INTRODUCTION PAGE 4 • Demos and the author(s) are credited THE COMMISSION PAGE 8 • This summary and the address www.demos.co.uk are displayed FINDINGS PAGE 9 • The text is not altered and is used in full EMPLOYMENT • The work is not resold PAGE 11 • A copy of the work or link to its use online is sent EDUCATION PAGE 18 to Demos. You are welcome to ask for permission to use this HOUSEHOLDS, FAMILIES AND FRIENDSHIPS PAGE 24 work for purposes other than those covered by the licence. Demos gratefully acknowledges the work COMMUNITIES PAGE 28 of Creative Commons in inspiring our approach to copyright. To find out more go to FINANCES PAGE 34 www.creativecommons.org HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE PAGE 39 DEMOCRACY AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE PAGE 44 Report authors: TECHNOLOGY AND ONLINE LIFE PAGE 49 Dr Heather Rolfe Rose Lasko-Skinner TRANSPORT AND THE ENVIRONMENT PAGE 55 Asli Atay Ellen Judson RACE AND EQUALITY PAGE 61 Polly Mackenzie Joe Oakes Claudia Wood MOVING FORWARD TOGETHER PAGE 63 Sacha Hilhorst Heather Williams-Taplin Published by Demos August 2020. © Demos. Some rights reserved. 15 Whitehall, London, SW1A 2DD. T: 020 3878 3955 [email protected] www.demos.co.uk Charity number 1042046 2 3 in the UK to put forward their ideas for how Britain This report documents and analyses the main should change both as we emerge from this crisis, changes we have seen. But just a few quotes will and move beyond it. There is a welcome, and make it clear that there is no single, or simple, way growing movement making that case that we should to understand what we just lived through. Even these “build back better.” We agree. But first we need to 30 pages are just a snapshot of millions of divergent empower people across the country to articulate experiences. what better means to them. This report is the first staging post in a six month conversation to answer “I’ve loved the commute - 3 steps to the spare INTRODUCTION room” that question and develop a plan for how to bring citizens’ ambitions for change into practical reality. “I have hated working over the internet” This report brings together stories and statistics “I have felt so lonely and down.” about the change we’ve lived through in the last few months. Coupled with our microsite at “I have spent a lot of quality time with my family The outbreak of Covid-19 in www.renewnormal.co.uk, we aim to help people and really valued it.” the UK has touched every and policy makers alike reflect on what we’ve been through and what that might mean for the future. “I feel so much anger towards the government aspect of our lives. From our that they sacrificed the elderly to save others.” Our analysis includes contributions from nearly sleep to our social lives, from 12,000 members of the public who have already “The support from the community has been our jobs to our journeys, shared their ideas and experiences with us. We feel wonderful and my local council has been from our finances to our immensely privileged to have been trusted with such outstanding in their response.” detail, such honesty, and in many cases such raw When lockdown started, many people suggested friendships. It has already emotion. Those who have participated have already that this would be a great leveller in society, as we cost tens of thousands of shaped our understanding and analysis about how to were all forced to live under the same strict set of lives, and caused suffering, take this project forward, and we hope both they and rules. Our research suggests that has not happened. thousands more will continue to take part over the Communities and neighbourhoods have, in many loneliness, bereavement, and coming months. cases, pulled together to coordinate relief efforts, turmoil to millions of us. We need them to. Because it is clear that we have which people were proud to see or be part of. Most the fight of our lives on our hands, if we want to pull people did feel a sense of common purpose around Covid-19 hasn’t just changed individuals’ lives. this country up to meet the aspirations its citizens the “Clap for Carers” initiative. But beyond this, the It’s changed the economic, political and social have for it. evidence suggests there is a real sense of dislocation landscape in which we live them. It has radically between people whose experiences have been so accelerated our transition to working, shopping, THE CHALLENGE AHEAD different. Isolating as a family in a small flat is after all learning and interacting online. It has challenged very different to isolating in a large house. assumptions about who matters in a society and Our economy has taken a hit three times the size how we relate to one another. It has led to an of the global financial crisis. Our public finances There is intense anger and resentment - not just extraordinary outbreak of compassion, kindness, have picked up some of the slack, but as economic about perceived mistakes by government - but also and mutual support. It has exposed fault lines in interventions like the furlough scheme are unwound, to those who didn’t play by the lockdown rules. our system of social protection, and highlighted the things could get substantially worse. Ambitious but Those who lost loved ones, not surprisingly, tend to critical risks associated with inequality. expensive plans for levelling up growth between feel this most deeply. People who were not eligible the regions of the UK, decarbonising our economy, for government support through furlough or self- Nine months since the disease was identified, five or improving funding for our health and social care employment grants feel incredibly angry, and in months since the first person died in the UK after systems look more important, but less affordable, many cases resentful towards those who did get contracting it, we don’t know when or if we will get than ever. support and were able to live relatively comfortably back to the lives we used to live. We wait and hope without working. for a vaccine. Some of us cautiously try to navigate The pandemic is not fully under control within the our half-open economy, while others continue to UK, let alone around the world. Efforts to return the MOVING FORWARD TOGETHER shield themselves at home. We hope we are near the economy to health - let alone build a new economic To move forward, as a society, we need to find a end of this story, but we know this could be just the or social settlement - will not succeed unless and space for people to talk about their experiences and beginning. until the health crisis is more fully suppressed. try to build empathy with others. We all need to take But whatever happens, it is clear this will be a turning And our research reveals a third challenge we face the time to listen, and process, the stories of other point in our history. Months of lockdown acted as a as we seek to build back better: political and social people during this time. Only that process of sharing vast, enforced social experiment that has changed divisions that have been, in many cases, reinforced and listening can bring healing after a national what we want for ourselves, for our economy, and for by the turmoil of the last few months. It has been trauma of this kind. Renew Normal is designed to be our country. an intense, overwhelming and deeply emotional part of that process. We encourage everyone to take time for us all. But that intensity is almost the only the time to share their story, and to read through the ABOUT RENEW NORMAL thing that holds together the extraordinary range of stories of others. experiences and responses that people have lived Renew Normal was established to enable people through over the last five months. Go to our website and browse through thousands 4 5 of answers to the question: what did you learn or to act in accordance with those values.” and events to focus on the top opportunities for change your mind about during the pandemic? change identified by the public. This programme will And then share your own perspective. All voices are “The speed with which the government’s call for run from now until to the end of October. welcome. volunteers was filled to overflowing shows how people want to be part of a group and want to In addition, we will be working with colleagues at We are encouraging everyone who takes part to look help others. We must build on this.“ CASM, Demos’ technology hub, to identify the for the positives, the lessons and the opportunities lessons learned from this intense period of living from this crisis. To do so is not an attempt to erase “Super appreciative of how Mother Nature has online.